The present invention relates to a device for adjusting the tension of strings of a string instrument, said strings being attached at a first end to a winding device and at a second end to another mount, the string instrument being in particular a guitar, preferably an electric guitar or a bass, preferably an electric bass.
For correct tuning of string instruments, it is necessary to accurately adjust the tension of the strings stretched between two mounting points on these instruments, so that when a string is struck, a standing wave of the correct frequency develops, thereby creating the desired note.
The strings of a string instrument are usually rigidly attached at one of their two ends, the second end of the string being coiled onto a winding device, e.g., in the form of a spindle or a similar element so that it can be tightened and relaxed by winding and unwinding to thereby achieve the correct tuning of the string.
In particular, when the string instrument is also to be automatically tunable, i.e., by means of a control mechanism that controls a drive to change the string tension on the basis of the actual note picked up from the string that is struck in a comparison of same with an ideal note, so that the string produces the ideal note, the tension of the strings must be adjustable automatically. It has therefore already been proposed elsewhere that each of the winding devices should be provided with its own motor drive.
In the case of a guitar, for example, in particular an electric guitar, and/or a bass, preferably an electric bass, the so-called tuning mechanisms, i.e., the pegs for tightening and relaxing the strings are situated on the so-called head of the instrument and thus on a comparatively small part of the instrument. In principle, motor drives could be mounted here for adjusting the string tensions of the individual strings, but it is very difficult to accommodate all these components on the head of the guitar, where space is very limited, without having a negative effect on its appearance and handling. It is then almost impossible to arrange the entire control for a system for automatic tuning of a guitar and/or a bass, preferably an electric bass, on this part of the instrument in addition to the drives. To this extent, it is desirable to search for alternative options for adjusting the tension of a string of a string instrument.